simulation as deformation

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SIMULATION AS DEFORMATION Or, the role of agent based modeling in historical archaeology Shawn Graham, Carleton University @electricarchaeo “2”cc: t1ck, Flickr

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slides to accompany talk at the SAA annual meeting at Honolulu, on modeling coupled social-natural systems

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Page 1: Simulation as deformation

SIMULATION AS DEFORMATION

Or, the role of agent based modeling in historical

archaeology

Shawn Graham, Carleton University

@electricarchaeo“2”cc: t1ck, Flickr

Page 2: Simulation as deformation

A dark art, indeed.

“HUG?” cc, ~bassoonbuddy247, DeviantArt

Page 3: Simulation as deformation

Ein Augur erklärt Numa Pompilius nach dem Orakel des Vogelfluges zum König, Radierung von Bernhard Rode 1768-69, Wikicommons

Page 4: Simulation as deformation

Saul and the Witch of Endor, William Mount, 1807-1868. Wikicommons.

Page 5: Simulation as deformation

Practical Necromancy: as easy as Lego.

‘Classic Romero Zombies’ Cc Pedro Vezini, Flickr

Page 6: Simulation as deformation

Dismissals•Not useful for literate societies

•Tautological

•Not a very good analogy, is it?

Screencapture, Monty Python & The Holy Grail

Page 7: Simulation as deformation

Digital Zombies Shed Light

http://wallpoper.com/wallpaper/pink-floyd-407858

Page 8: Simulation as deformation

Parsimony & the single modeler

I’m a one-man band. My models need to be simple

in their aims in their outputs

Page 9: Simulation as deformation

When Digital Romans Go Bad

http://www.digitalstudies.org/ojs/index.php/digital_studies/article/viewArticle/172

…bit of garbage in there. It’s actually ‘2’.

Page 10: Simulation as deformation

Romanization & Information Flow

Roman Hispania, Road Network - Wikicommons

Smaller, more constrained models have bigger impacts

…at least in the humanities…

Page 11: Simulation as deformation

From entanglements to

flows

Hodder, Ian. Entangled: An archaeology of the relationships between humans and things. Wiley-Blackwell 2012. Pg 181, Figure 9.2 Entanglements of clay at Catalhoyuk.

Page 12: Simulation as deformation

Evolving Amphorae

Page 13: Simulation as deformation

Small models, perfectly formed

ABM need to be small for historical

archaeology

Difficulty of teasing out the key

relationships in complex models

Human-thing relationships

infinitely extensible

resistanceOne issue, one model

Part of a modular approach

Page 14: Simulation as deformation

Thank you

Shawn Graham, Carleton University@electricarchaeo